September 2008 Archives

Couture Snob wants to know what you would give up for fashion!?
Bag Snob finds bags under $50 for recession shopping!
Tot Snob is giving away a Macy's Gift Card worth $150!
Purse Blog- Amanda can't get enough of Gossip Girl!
The Hills Beauty Quiz at Bella Sugar!

YSL Beaute has launched its new lipstick with Kate Moss (if anyone doubted her staying power as a model, think again!). It just won the Allure Best Bright Lipstick Award for "Rouge Volupte- #10 Provocative Pink". The jury said "as smooth as silk, this hot pink makes our eyes seem brighter and our cheek rosier" .... very Voluptuous! I was just telling Couture Snob Heidi the other day that I am going to seek a bright pink lipstick for TV appearances, I feel like my nude shades are too washed out for the small screen :) I can't wait to try the Rouge Volupte next week in front of the camera in New York.

On Oct 29th, YSL Beaute website is featuring an exciting art contest : "Create your own YSL lipstick-inspired piece of art !". The winners will get a free ticket to NYC, a personalized makeup session with YSL artist and a selection of top products to bring back home. Check it out at YSL.com

Available for $34 at yslbeautyus

Sophia Loren and George Clooney -- proof that you can be gorgeous at any age!

When I was younger I used to be obsessed with that movie Auntie Mame. I just wanted to grow-up and be this eccentric grandmother decked-out in baubles and sequins just like Rosalind Russell in the movie:-) Though I still hope to be a glamorous granny one day, I don't hope to look like one anytime soon, which is why I love makeup that's not just makeup. Why stop at using creams to fight the signs of aging, when you can use makeup that incorporates similar properties. Redpoint's Stayput Eyeliners ($21), are long-lasting and water-resistant (both of which are essential for me, because I often put eyeliner on my eyelids and if it's not long-lasting they end-up on my boyfriend's face -- he ends up freaking-out about getting it off and sounding like me when I see a gross bug!). In addition though, Redpoint eyeliners are great because they have an anti-aging TriPeptide complex to help eyes appear smoother and more youthful. I'm loving their new Congo color which is a deep chocolate that looks great smudged (it comes with a sponge and a sharpener), for a smoky, dark look that's perfect for fall.

I have been on a mission to create lush lashes for a lifetime; I was born with puny lashes and have done everything possible to make them grow and thicken to no avail.  I even tried lash extensions a couple of times but feared they'd cause permanent damage if used for too long (and I swear mine are weaker and thinner since then!).  I've used Jan Marini (loved the original formula), Revitalash (still use this daily), and many other conditioners that seem to make them a tad stronger and less likely to fall out but no thicker nor longer.  I've also bought every brand and style of false lashes imaginable but none gave the lush natural lashes I achieved through Shu Uemura!  I am obsessed with this system and have turned many friends on to it!  Tools you'll need:

The Lashes- Shu uemura lashes are amazing, they are so fluttery and natural... you can use a couple during the day for accent or 3 - 4 at night for more oomph. I have tried the cheaper versions but the they just don't measure up!  Shu lashes are the most natural and have soft rubber strip that molds to the curve of the eye.  I trim a couple in half for the curve in center of eye.

To Apply - For exact application the Shu Uemura lash applicator is a must. It looks like tweezers and holds the lashes so you can put it exactly where you want to.

The Glue - You have to buy the Shu Uemura Lash Adhesive ; it does not dry into a hard line but stays soft and pliable for easy removal.  Squeeze a tiny line of glue on to clean tissue, dip lash strip lightly with applicator and wait a few seconds before applying.

To Blend - Shu Uemura liquid eyeliner pen allows you to blend between the lash line so you can achieve the most natural look without a heavy line.  (Jump to see before and after photos!)

I love dual purpose products; especially one that makes you look pretty and smell good.  Unfortunately I am not a charm bracelet girl but I have a girlfriend who collects them--this is the perfect Christmas present for her.  Margherita Missoni designed this fun and whimsical solid parfum charm bracelet that combines convenience and luxury (you can discreetly refreshen your scent from a bracelet, necklaces are harder to conceal).  My friend Kristen the Beauty Addict loves solid parfums but I've never found one that was to my liking.  I took a whiff of this the other day and for some reason it smelled rancid on me.  Oh well, the search for the perfect solid parfum continues.  I am obsessed with Kai's gardenia oil but the roller ball broke the other day in the car, on my way to a black tie wedding and spilled all over my vintage HAUTE COUTURE YSL gown circa 1972.  I was devastated and held my clutch over the giant oil stain all night.  Luckily my trusty dry cleaner took the stain right out.  Whewwwww!  Oh, if you're interested, the Missoni charm bracelet is $50 at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue this month. 

Congratulations to Lisa C, Bonnie and Courtney!  Your stories were chosen as our winners.  Thank you to everyone who entered-- each of your stories were delightful! One does not merely meet David Yurman; one is enveloped in the resplendent energy he exudes the minute he casts his gaze on you.  He is seriously one of the most charismatic people I have ever met!  He won me over from the moment we sat down for the interview (I am also a sucker for guys who say they like my outfit- it's nice when men appreciate fashion!).  We talked about everything under the sun; from family to his passion for work and his childhood in the Bronx-- we took a stroll through nostalgia lane and evoked the scent of his life.  

David Yurman is clearly a man who adores his wife (and is doing his best to keep up with her!) and devoted to the company they founded together that will one day be passed down to his son, Evan.  I have no doubt the legacy of David Yurman will become one of the great American tales.  Read on to discover the luxurious world of David Yurman!  (I recorded the interview as to give you every little detail!) 

Left: David Yurman and Tina Craig.

So many us can't dedicate a continuous 30 minutes for a workout 4-5 times a week.  That's ok because if you can dedicate three ten minute workouts in your day you are getting the same benefits.  It's all about how many calories did you burn at the end of the day.  So, if you did it altogether or spread it out, it doesn't matter.  Here are some suggestions:

 

• Set your alarm ten minutes earlier than normal (sounds better than 30 minutes doesn't it?). Get up and run your stairs, jump rope even if you don't own one, or jog in place while you watch the early morning news.
• During lunch time get up and take a brisk walk around or through your office building or put the kids in the stroller and head for a nice walk to the park.
• At night take ten minutes and do some lunges, sit ups, squats, push ups, etc.

 

Our lives are busy, but that doesn't mean we can't get our workouts in.  We need it for our health and sanity.  So find those ten minutes in your day to do something quick.  Your body will thank you for it.

 

For more great fitness and nutrition information from Fit Diva Lara go to thefitdivas.com!

At the end of each summer, I am left with the marks of the hottest days of summer, tiny little freckles across my face!  It's a bizarre phenomenon, those freckles of mine.  They appear to be heat activated (because we all know I wear giant hats, SPF 45 AND sit under umbrellas when at pools or beaches).  I rarely allow sun rays to touch my face, so the fact that my face becomes pigmented at the end of the summer proves that they are indeed heat activated!  So, each year, I come up with a new solution to rid myself of these tiny freckles that my hubby deems "cute".  What does he know?  He thought my fabulous Rick Owens dress was a toga!  But that's another story altogether.  Back to me and my freckles-- I've been using Phyto+ from Skinceuticals (after being told the Hydroquinoe  I used from Dr. Obagi was too harsh and might possibly cause cancer-- UH WHAT?).  Anyway, ever since that bombshell, I've been using only botanical and natural solutions to the Asian girl's biggest skin woe. 

Two weeks ago, I started on a new product, L'Occitane's Very Precious Brightening concentrate.  I use it at night, before my 12 step routine and though my spots are still there, they are visibly lighter.  The concentrate is made of 100% organic plant dry oils that disappear into the skin quickly and leaves no oily residue.  Each bottle contains the equivalent of 3,000 flowers combined with a vitamin C derivative.  Only time will tell the true effect of the oil but for now, I am enjoying the nightly facial massage I give myself with it.  At L'Occitane stores was $82 but on sale now for $58!!!  

At $400 for 6.7 oz, Sensai Premier Body Cream wins the most expensive body cream in the world award.  La Mer doesn't even come close with its 10 oz jar sold for $195.  Who will buy this you ask?  The same people who spend thousands of dollars a month on full body treatments.  In other words, the very rich and the very famous.  The premier body cream combination of new formulas, including seaweed extracts from the Sea of Japan to help support DNA repair function in skin; ingredients from the Chinese Mulberry shrub, to boost collagen synthesis in the skin, and a Moon Flower fragrance, which the company ascribes to helping stimulate hyaluronic acid synthesis.  Where do I sign up?  Store finder At Kanebo.com

Couture Snob discuss the Pro's and Con's of one of the biggest trends for fall. Are you Mad for Plaid?

55 Secret Street falls under the spell of Thierry Mugler's Angel.

Stiletto Jungle dishes on the best fall nail colors.

FabSugar: Katy Perry is the perfect example of a modern pinup girl....Check out her sexy and sweet in a retro-inspired ensemble!

Are Drew Barrymore and Ed Westwick dating? Allie is Wired has telltale pics.

Bag Bliss handbag face off: Yves Saint Laurent vs. Mayle

Bag Snob revisits her youth via Tod's Helmut bag.

Beauty Snob chats with David Yurman and revisits the scent of romance.

Coquette wants to wrap herself in fall's most stylish wrap sweaters.

Second City Style thinks safety is important - but not when it comes to fashion.

The Duchess movie has StyleBakery craving 18th century style: ruffles, lace and rosettes.

Stylehive interviews the latest Project Runway reject - it's Suede vs. Kenley!

The Shoe Goddess shares pictures of our fabulous (celebrity attended) NYC Fashion Week Party!

KRISTOPHER
is wanting, wearing, hating drugstore
makeup.